---THE PROJECT---
My blogs
| Location | alaska | california, United States |
|---|---|
| Introduction | Yellow-cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis), a species of high cultural, economic, and ecological value ranges from California to Alaska, populating mixed forests. From British Columbia through the Alexander Archipelago, these trees have been dying off since the late 1800's, with increasing rates observed in the latter part of the 20th century. There’s been a lot of research focused on understanding climatic drivers of this species mortality. Scientists now understand that reduced snow-pack makes yellow-cedars susceptible to sudden freeze-thaw events. I want to know what happens next. As yellow-cedars decline, what is the process of vegetational development within the forest community? Over the course of two summers, we're establishing sites on the outer coast with the help of a team of dedicated scientists, students, and community members. I want to understand the processes of succession in these forests and how shifting forest dynamics relate to valued services when managing lands for multiple uses and adapting conservation priorities. - lauren |
| Interests | I’m not a strict disciplinary scientist. I’m interested in ecological questions that have relevance for resource management and conservation and figuring out tools to answer them. I strive to understand the human drivers and implications behind changes in the “environment.” Captivated by the power of narrative and visual media, I naturally consider archival photographs and oral accounts of forest uses equally important to the biophysical data we will collect. We have a lot of trees to measure and plants to get to know, but we're also going to photograph. Kate might even paint. And I think even scientists and researchers should blog. - Lauren |